Indian pharma needs a step change from incremental progress to innovation at scale marked by stronger translational research pathways, K Sarish Reddy, Chairman, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, said.

In a white paper on translational research, Reddy said India now stood at a critical inflection point in its innovation journey. To realise the ambition of becoming a global discovery hub, India requires stronger translational research pathways to ensure that scientific discoveries translate into meaningful patient impact.

This should happen alongside accelerated R&D, scaled talent aligned to academic and research structures and shared infrastructure to support innovation more efficiently, he added.

“With the right coordination, India has the potential to play an important role in shaping the future of healthcare,” Reddy said.

The white paper titled “Translational Research Ecosystem: Learnings from the World & Building for India”, was based on discussions from the third and recent roundtable convened by Dr Reddy’s, as a prelude to the Dr Anji Reddy Memorial Lecture Series.

Translational science is increasingly at the forefront of modern biomedical innovation, bridging the critical gap between scientific discovery and practical application. By accelerating the journey from lab breakthroughs to accessible treatments, translational science plays a significant role in improving health outcomes, the white paper said.

However, the pace and scale of this progress are often shaped by a complex interplay of scientific, operational, financial, and regulatory challenges.

While India has developed strong capabilities in scientific research and pharmaceutical manufacturing, the pathway between early-stage discovery and clinical development remains fragmented, causing promising innovations to lose momentum before reaching patients, according to the white paper.

Greater engagement between academia, industry, healthcare institutions, investors and government agencies will be essential to accelerate the translation of scientific research into healthcare solutions, it said.

Sustained and appropriately structured funding is required to support innovations through the long and often complex journey from discovery to development and commercialisation.

A globally competitive innovation ecosystem requires regulatory systems that evolve alongside scientific advances and inspire confidence among researchers, developers and investors, it added.

India’s hospitals, patient cohorts and real-world clinical data represent a significant but underutilised research asset that could help accelerate innovation when integrated into translational pathways, according to the white paper.

The panellists at the third roundtable included Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation; V. Ramgopal Rao, Vice Chancellor, BITS Pilani; Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, CEO, ANRF; Guido Kroemer, Université Paris Cité, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris; Satya Prakash Dash, CEO, IKP Knowledge Park, Hyderabad and Murali Ramachandra, CEO, Aurigene Oncology, among others.

Dr Reddy’s instituted the Dr Anji Reddy Memorial Lecture Series in 2023 to honour the contributions of scientist, entrepreneur, and institution builder Dr K Anji Reddy, who founded Dr Reddy’s Laboratories in 1984.

Published on June 24, 2026